With nearly 40 years of technology experience under my belt, and half of that as an independent consultant, designer and developer, few things become more clear than how limited our capacity to handle technical issues on a day to day basis is. What isn't always obvious is the amount of time needed to keep abreast of what is happening to the current quiver of technology much less the new technology that is emerging on an almost weekly basis.

There are basic aspects in all information technology. Database, programming language, network and project management techniques are bedrock theoreticals that allow a professional to grasp evolving tools and applications quickly. While there are lots of experts in specific tools, there are few expert "generalists" who understand the fundamentals completely. "Being there" has alot to do with experience over what is referred to as second-hand knowledge.

On top of the experience a consultant brings to the table is customer knowledge. Customers are unique to their unique industries and disciplines. It has been my experience that clients, who have it together, understand that their "unique selling proposition" must be backed up by a learning cultural, special industry expertise and a uniqueness about the way they interact with their customers. And today, that begins and ends with what they do online... from their website to their social media presence and email communication, they interact uniquely with each of their customers.

The 80/20 Rule

"Entrepreneurs don't realize the same 80/20 principle -- the adage that 20 percent of customers equal 80 percent of sales -- applies to every dimension of business. And that includes time management.

We entrepreneurs are extremely prone to rationalize, "I can do it myself." Then we spend six hours trying to extract a virus from our computer or fix a leaky faucet."

The Top of Mind infographic I've created implements the ideas behind the "80/20 Rule" and applies it to how we think, what is our capacity to provide excellent service and so on. In this case, it is all about why North End Creative was started and why I've moved from general web design and support to consulting and creative services in a small business agency format.

If you'd like to discuss the 80/20 Rule or Top of Mind Services, feel free to email me at info@northendcreative.com to schedule a call. Thanks, and happy learning.